Timing is everything

As a tyro Publicist, I used to angst over my media releases ... I mean, journos are a really tough crowd. I used to wonder if there was ever anything written, at any time, for anyone that had either: as much riding on it (media coverage); or that could be passed over with the same snide, know-it-all, super-critical (these people write for a living after all) glance before illiciting a Publicist-hating, now-you've-fucked-up-my-deadline, fuelled cry: 'What a crock of boring, verbose shit! Who do they think gives a fuck!? Fuck these fucking time-wasting, uneducated, moron fucking Publicists! Jesus!' Sound of media release being violently destroyed and chucked in the bin.

I remember a time I was having a few beers with a journalist in Melbourne. (I actually remember more than a few beers with more than a few journalists ... but that's not the point.) This particular journo told me that most journalists actually like to receive media releases ... and that they find them very useful. But, he cautioned, it's all about when we receive them. Good publicists know media schedules. They also learn when to make that 'follow-up' call ... and trust me, it's really not good when you fuck the timing of those up:

PUBLICIST: "What's that sound I can hear in the background, darl?"
JOURNALIST: "That? Oh, that's just our final copy call deadline bell."
PUBLICIST: "Gorgeous! Now, about that media release ..."
JOURNALIST: "I'm going to hang up the phone now."

(Clunk.)

These days, there's also a fantastic online media release dissemination service called PRWeb. You register, you tick your field(s) of interest, and every day, without fail, they send you lots of media releases. I am registered on PRWeb from the days when I was editing, writing, designing and formatting The Pink Broad), and I receive about 30 media releases every day. Right about now. Some of them are actually very interesting and, yes, very useful. Others - after my interpretation of the infamous 'know-it-all, super-critical glance' - go straight into the trash.

Of the dozen or so that arrived today (Good Friday), there was one which absolutely compelled me to reward such a delightful display of initiative ... and it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to their website.

Which just goes to prove that timing is, in fact, everything. And you've really got to admire theirs.

Bless.